Borough assembly requests extension to emergency disaster declaration as high winds continue

Hurricane-force winds that hit the Matanuska-Susitna Borough two storms, from December 5 to 9 and again on Dec. 13 to 15, may return borough manager Mike Brown warned the assembly Dec. 15. Brown said the national weather service has advised that conditions that produced the storms may exist for another two weeks, although there is no certainty that the high winds will return.

Brown said that for 74 hours from Dec. 5 to 9 there were wind gusts of 50 miles per hour and for 46 hours winds were at hurricane levels, including gusts of 100 miles per hour at Palmer’s airport. In the second wind event, from Dec. 13 to 15 winds were gusting to 90 miles per hour.

Responding to the storms, the assembly approved a request to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for a seven-day extension to the emergency disaster declaration approved earlier by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Emergency declarations, which allow state resources to be mobilised for aid, can only last for a specified period. he first one would have expired Dec. 17 without the assembly’s request for an extension, Brown told the assembly.

In another action Dec. 16 a resolution to initiate discussions regarding annexation of the Chugiak-Eagle River area into the Matanuska-Susitna Borough was postponed indefinitely by the assembly. The proposal was in RS 25-120. A number of Eagle River residents appeared at the assembly meeting to ask that the matter be dropped because a proposal is before the Local Boundary Commission to allow formation of an Eagle River-Chugiak borough and the commission is close to a decision to allow residents there to begin gathering signatures on petitions.

If the Mat-Su Borough initiates discussions to annex Eagle River and Chugiak it would create confusion among local voters and likely lead to both being denied, the assembly was told.

In other developments, an ordinance repealing the borough’s Mandatory Land Use Permit in its entirety and adopting a Land Use Review was adopted with two assembly members opposed. The proposal was in Ordinance 25-103. In another action affecting real estate, an ordinance allowing subdivision development standards to be reduced to allow lots of 30,000 square feet within single-family residential Land Use Districts was referred to the platting board. The proposal is in OR 25-102.

Also, an ordinance amending requirements for setbacks and screening easements and to reduce the minimum building setback requirement from pedestrian easements was adopted with no objections. The proposal was in OR 25-111. On another matter, an ordinance allowing renters of the Big Lake Lions Recreation Center to serve alcoholic beverages was defeated. The proposal was in OR 25-133.

There were also a number of routine administrative actions approved on the assembly’s “consent agenda,” where things listed are approved without votes on each item.

The approvals included:

• Award Of Bid No. 26-079B To AK Clearwater Mechanical for $138,840 for boiler replacement at Snowshoe Elementary School.

• Contract To Tutka, LLC for $919,100 to construct Circle View Dike repairs.

• Contract change with DOWL, LLC for the Edgerton Parks road and mountain

trails upgrade and pathway project and to extend the completion date to July 31, 2026.

• Contract to Recon, LLC for $191,200 to provide geotechnical evaluation of land

identified as likely having high quality deposits of gravel.

• Approval of Contract amendment for HDL Engineering Consultants

LLC. for the Jolly Creek Drainage Improvement and extending the completion date

to December 31, 2027, and to develop final bid packages and provide support during construction.

• Contract to Mechanical Specialists Inc. of $199,863 for the Finger Lane elementary school boiler replacement.

The assembly was also informed of the conclusion of a contract with Northern Asphalt Construction, Inc. for $2,185,282.14 for the Cheri Lake Drive, Karen Avenue, and King Arthur Drive improvements project.